By Fatima Saka
PrincePaul O. Agbonlahor, Chairman and CEO of Lahor Group, has commended Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as transformative governance initiatives that are reshaping infrastructure and creating new pathways for youth empowerment in Nigeria.
Speaking in a media chat on Sunday, the business mogul and philanthropist said that while International Youth Day 2025 highlights the role of young people in advancing global cooperation, the real story in Nigeria lies in bold infrastructural and policy interventions that are enabling young Nigerians to thrive.
Agbonlahor hailed Governor Okpebholo’s SHINE Agenda, citing landmark projects such as the Ramat Park–Auchi–Agbor–Ikpoba-Hill flyover, state intervention on the Benin–Auchi Federal Highway, and new security-linked roadworks in Edo North. He described them as not just road projects but “foundations for commerce, security, and the empowerment of our young people.”
On youth-focused initiatives, he pointed to Edo’s ₦1 billion bursary scheme, interest-free loans for small businesses, and massive skills training programmes as tangible policies fostering social mobility.
At the federal level, Agbonlahor praised President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, highlighting the planned training of three million Nigerians in IT skills, the Scale Up Artisans Project, and the creation of the Nigeria Youth Academy.
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“For the first time, young Nigerians are not just being told they are the leaders of tomorrow,” he said. “They are being equipped to lead today, backed by governance strategies that combine infrastructure with empowerment.”
He urged young people to take advantage of the opportunities provided:
“Government can build bridges and provide tools, but it is up to our young people to cross those bridges with courage, innovation, and vision.”
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